A Leap Into Family History: How T-Shirt Quilts Keep Your Story Alive

Preserving family heritage is as timeless as the art of quilting. For generations, families have passed down heirlooms of quilted tapestries and other works of quilted art that represent important members of the family and the family’s legacy itself. The textiles in quilts give a detailed weight to the importance of family, and every thread is intertwined like our ancestors’ stories to our present day lives. 

Some may think that quilts are reserved as traditions of the past, but artists and strong quilters of our generation show that they are as modern and important as ever! So for today’s blog let’s focus on quilts as family heirlooms and their power to capture detailed memories and stories that you can pass onto future generations.

QUILTS IN FAMILY TRADITIONS

The art of quilting brings generations together!

Quilts serve many different roles in preserving family history and have done so for a long, long time! Weddings are a classic example of when quilts are used to preserve history, displaying the union of two people – much in the way a quilt is the union of many stitches and fabric pieces. And, of course, we celebrate newborn babies with baby quilts that provide warmth and welcome them into the world. 

Of course, quilts are also fantastic displays of important family stories. These stories can be told literally – as seen in large tapestries with ornate, embroidered designs – or simply through telling the story of the person who made the quilt. What pattern styles did they prefer? How did they make the quilt and what was it for? These quilts capture important moments in the lives of your ancestors, and the story becomes a framed snapshot of who this person was and how they lived.

This family tradition of quilted keepsakes can easily be brought to the modern day. With MemoryStitch, you can transform your clothes or the clothes of your loved ones into memorial t-shirt quilts. Your t-shirts and clothes tell the story of who you are in the same way that heirloom quilts tell the story of your ancestors. Clothes evoke a style of the time and personality in a captivating way, and passing down t-shirt quilts to the next generation is another stitch in the fabric of heritage.

HOW TO CREATE A FAMILY HEIRLOOM QUILT

There are so many ways to make the perfect quilt for your family!

Here are a few ideas to get started thinking about a family heirloom t-shirt quilt:

• Use clothes across generations: Do you have collections of clothes worn by your grandparents, parents or children? A t-shirt quilt can really show the connection from generation-to-generation when you use clothes from a variety of family members! Come up with a fun layout of the shirts to show the differences (or similarities) in how you all dress.

• Select emotionally significant garments: Remember, a t-shirt quilt doesn’t have to only be t-shirts! Fabric from sweaters, athletic jerseys, or most other clothing items can be included if they match the right dimensions. Communicate with our team about even grander additions like graduation gear. Get creative and see how you can make your quilt have the biggest emotional impact on future generations.

• Add custom embroidery: With MemoryStitch, you can add a custom embroidered message to the back of your t-shirt quilt. Write a small family motto, whose shirts appear on the quilt, the year it was made or anything else. A message with your quilt will make it even more unique and will also give important documentation to what the quilt represents.

This is just a start to all the fun you can have designing your heirloom t-shirt quilt! Remember to capture the story of you and your family, and consider what you want to pass to future generations. The sky truly is the limit!

THE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION

Stay connected with your family when you create and give quilts.

Above all else, an heirloom quilt of any kind has the power to bring your family closer together in a union of past, present and future. Not only does an heirloom quilt preserve family history for future generations, but it also gives your present family a meaningful emotional connection. Gathering t-shirts and other clothes to create your quilt can bring distant relatives together in moments of bonding you may not have had in quite some time. Building connections in the present is always the most powerful way to keep your family connected in the future.

Here are stories from customers who know just how powerful the emotion of a t-shirt quilt can be:

“I had a box of old t-shirts in the garage I couldn’t figure out what to do with. So many memories, old concerts I attended as a teenager, college shirts I wore and I designed, old family shirts, military shirts and law enforcement shirts. I could not just throw them away. My wife told me about MemoryStitch, but I was reluctant to cut up my shirts. Finally, I did and sent them off unsure of what to expect. Customer service was great with keeping in touch with me and updating me of the process. When my quilt arrived I was so amazed and pleased. I am reminded of those memories through my shirts that are now in my quilt.” – Chris D.

“I had a quilt made from my dad’s shirts after he passed away in September. We gave this to my mom today, which happens to be his first birthday after he passed. It is a hug from my dad in heaven. The quilt is so soft and my mom loves it.” – Kelly I.

WRAP UP

It’s never too early or too late to start creating heirlooms for your family’s history. T-shirt quilts are long-lasting and powerful snapshots of your family’s heritage that will be cherished and passed down for generations to come. Build the connection with your family today when you start crafting the perfect quilt to tell your story.

For more information on MemoryStitch’s process in transforming your well-loved clothing into custom t-shirt quilts and keepsakes, check out our how it works page. To learn more about our story in crafting premium-quality quilts, read more here. And to stay up to date on all things MemoryStitch and crafting fantastic t-shirt quilts, stay tuned right here to our blog!

Written by Zander Gibney.